Gloucester County graduation rates higher than new state average

Megan Boblett (right) and classmates smile as they prepare to walk to their seats during Clearview Regional High School's graduation ceremony in this file photo. (Staff Photo by Lori M. Nichols/Gloucester County Times.)

The Christie Administration released new 2011 district graduation rates on Tuesday calculated using a new federally-mandated methodology called the “four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate,” and Gloucester County’s average rate is 4.3 percent higher than the state average.

Now required of every state in the country, the new methodology is meant to present a more complete and accurate way of calculating the high school graduation rate. Under this new system, the statewide graduation rate is 83 percent. The average rate in Gloucester County is 87.3 percent.

Out of Gloucester County’s 14 high school districts, Kingsway Regional High School’s graduation rate — at 96.52 percent — is the highest in this calculation, something Superintendent Jim Lavender said is a testament to the school and its teachers.

“It’s not 100 percent, and we’re certainly striving for 100 percent, but it’s a number we’re certainly proud of,” Lavender said. “In terms of how we compare to the state, Gloucester County is doing well with 11 of 14 schools having exceeded the state average.”

According to Lavender, the new calculations are a way to more accurately track students through their school years, therefore more accurately tracking graduation rates.

As for Glassboro High School — which had a 83.65 percent rate, according to Tuesday’s release — District Spokeswoman Heather Simmons said the district’s own baseline numbers are much higher, well into the 90s.

“The formula is different, so all of the school districts are dealing with a different baseline,” said Simmons. “In Glassboro, we clearly fall in line in terms of the state average, but we would like to see it higher. It looks like what the state is doing is counting whoever attended that particular school district. In Glassboro, we have a transient rate that’s really high. A student may attend for a year or two and then transfer out, so our graduation rates will appear to be lower. For our baseline, we’re using the number of students who attend Glassboro the whole time.”

Simmons said the Glassboro district does a lot of work to retain its students through high school including professional development for teachers to help target different types of learners, programs for students from various socioeconomic backgrounds, an on-site summer school program to give students another chance to pass a class they struggled with and tutoring.

Gloucester County’s other high school graduation rates are as follows: Clayton High School — 87.10 percent; Clearview Regional High School — 93.68 percent; Deptford Township High School — 82.82 percent; Gateway Regional High School — 93.24 percent; Gloucester County Institute of Technology — 95.34 percent; Williamstown High School — 84.14 percent; Paulsboro High School — 62.16 percent; Pitman High School — 84.62 percent; Delsea Regional High School — 93.23 percent; Washington Township High School — 93.91 percent; West Deptford High School — 89.29 percent and Woodbury High School — 82.17 percent.